1. Field
This invention relates to laser surgery. It is particularly directed to a laser surgical instrument, and provides such an instrument which is supported in use by the hand and upper arm of a surgeon.
2. State of the Art
Laser surgery, as it is presently practiced in the fields of dermatology and podiatry, involves the use of hand-held instruments which attenuate a laser beam and direct the attenuated beam to an operative site. A typical such operative site comprises a tissue surface, such as the epidermis of a patient. These instruments are ordinarily powered from remote locations, and the requisite controls and monitoring devices are thus generally located remote from the surgeon. The hand-held instruments themselves are somewhat awkward to manipulate so that their use is characteristically accompanied by fatigue. Both the time period during which a surgical procedure must proceed and the efficiency of the procedure are limited because of this awkwardness.
Government regulations require the provision of two stage safety mechanisms in laser instruments. Conventionally, at least one of these stages has been provided as a foot switch, requiring a cord connection to the instrument and/or remote power supply.
There remains a need for improved hand-held instruments for the practice of laser surgical procedures.